Tom Fogerty

Tom Fogerty – Excalibur (Remastered) (1972/2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Studio Masters By admin · October 10, 2023 · Comments off

In the 1960s, Tom Fogerty had already shaken up American music with his brother John in the band Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the most important and popular American bands of his time. When he left the group in 1970, mainly because of rising tensions, he was quickly taken by a nostalgia for music and met Merl Saunders who put the wind back in his sails. In 1972, Tom Fogerty recorded Excalibur with John Kahn (bass), Bill Vitt (drums), Jerry Garcia (guitar and pedal steel) and Merl Saunders (piano) on the label Fantasy Records. Fogerty composed eight of the ten tracks and confirmed his talent as a songwriter. Unsurprisingly, there are a few Creedence styles which resurface, but also some more country sonorities that could be Merle Haggard or Buck Owens. He even reworks Rocky Road Blues by the pope of bluegrass, Bill Monroe. With Forty Years as the opening track, the eldest of the Fogerty’s already sets the bar high with a country melody accompanied by Garcia’s pedal steel guitar and bitter lyrics about hard labour. Tom Fogerty also knows how to mix together different sounds like on Get Funky where the piano groove prevails, whereas it’s an archaic melody on the synthesizer that imposes itself on Sign Of The Devil. Whether it’s more conventional rock such as Black Jack Jenny or a bluesy tribute to Fats Domino with a cover of Sick and Tired, Tom Fogerty’s talent lies in harmonizing this medley of influences to perfection. A new edition of Excalibur to enjoy in a remastered version. – Clara Bismuth

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